


The Other Side

by Espresso-Patronum (BucketRogers)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, M/M, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 10:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17558282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BucketRogers/pseuds/Espresso-Patronum
Summary: Steve is the ringleader in a circus, and he is determined to get Tony, famous socialite, to come and work with him.





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> This so ridiculous oh my god
> 
> Long story short, I watched The Greatest Showman, got absolutely obsessed, and just noticed that the entirety of The Other Side was gay sexual tension to the max, so that obviously lead me to Circus AU XD. Also, like 90 percent of the dialogue is just lyrics (i have an obsession don't judge me)
> 
> Huge thanks to [brokeneisenglass](https://brokeneisenglas.tumblr.com/) for reading over it! (also they possibly may be doing a drawing based on this and just... yes, i need it)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

A part of him hated that he had to be here. The fancy parties, the schmoozing, it just wasn’t his style. Still, there was one person here that might make this worth it. He glanced across the ballroom, saw Tony practically hanging off the arm of some woman, and shook his head.

Tony Stark. He was the son of a famous pianist and a tech genius, and he was the most popular socialite in the city. Everyone knew his name and he was the top of every ‘hottest bachelor’ list in every magazine (Steve couldn’t exactly disagree with that). And Steve just knew that there was something else beneath all the bravado. A showman, a performer. It would just take some gentle coaxing to get it out into the open. Maybe he could even get Tony to join his show.

He leaned against the wall, watching as Tony made his way around the room. The man was attractive, no doubt. He was thinner and shorter than the typical man, but he made up for it in bravado. He was smart beyond belief, even though he didn’t seem to utilize it. Instead, he opted for living the party life off of his dad’s money.

Still, there was talent there, and Steve needed it.

Steve turned for a moment, speaking to another attendee, and when he turned back, there was Tony. He was standing a few yards away, trying to be discreet about watching Steve, but it was obvious. Steve grinned and made his way over, trying to exude as much charm as he could. He didn’t know Stark, but he knew his type, and charming smiles seemed to be what he responded to.

“Mr. Rogers. I’ve heard a lot about you, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Tony replied, his classic shit-eating grin across his face. “You really are the talk of the town, what with your oddities and all.”

“Please, call me Steve.” He leaned in slightly closer, reached out to shake his hand. There was heat in Tony’s eyes, a certain passion that indicated so much want, and Steve could get on board with that. “And, well, if I’ve got people talking about me, I must be doing something right.”

Tony laughed quietly, taking the hand and holding on just a little too long and just a little too tight. “Or something entirely wrong. Public opinion is pretty varied on your little show.”

Steve scoffed, shaking his head. “Little? Really? I’m offended. You haven’t seen my show yet, have you?”

“No, well, I’m quite busy doing my own stuff. You know, life gets pretty crazy when you have an actual job.” There was that smirk, condescending and smug all at once.

Steve wanted to kiss that smirk away.

“Very funny, Mr. Stark. Perhaps if you came and saw the show, you would realize how big it actually is. I could arrange to get a ticket for you, free of charge, on me.”

“Oh, is that so? Thank you very much, but I think I’d prefer to admire the freaks from afar.” He clapped Steve on the shoulder, squeezed, and gave him another dashing smile, then turned to walk away. Steve walked after him though, not giving up quite yet.

“Sir, how about I buy you a drink? I’ve heard plenty about you as well, I think we may have more in common than you realize.” Tony seemed to stop for a second, almost started walking again, but then he swung back around and smiled.

“Alright then, why not?” He grinned a little, eyeing Steve up. “It’ll be nice to have somebody else buy me a drink for once. I know a place nearby, come on.”

“Lead the way, Mr. Stark.”

“No, please. Tony.”

\----

“Man, come on, you’re crazy! You can’t honestly expect me to go along with this?” Tony rolled his eyes, downing yet another shot. 

“It’s just an idea! I’ve got a good eye for talent, and I can tell you’re a performer at heart. Just think about it, alright? I could definitely make it worth your while.” Steve grabbed the bottle, poured another couple of shots. He pushed one of them over to Tony, eyes lingering on the man’s hands, his everything.

“Steve, even if I wanted to, it’s not like I can just up and join the circus! I’ve got a life, everybody is watching me, even coming to this bar with you is a scandal waiting to happen.” Tony rolled his eyes, took the shot, and downed it quickly. Almost as soon as the glass hit the bar, Steve was filling it back up again.

“Hey, come on, please?” He leaned in close, just a little bit too close, and he could hear Tony’s breath hitch. He couldn’t help but grin a little. “Just stop and listen, alright? Consider it, even briefly, and you just might find yourself a free man.”

Tony sighed and grabbed the shot, but he didn’t get up, didn’t leave. Steve waited until he had finished it, then started to smirk. Now was the time, the chance to win Tony over. He debated it for a second, whether it was worth it to go all in, but quickly decided there was no other way to do it. He was a performer anyway.

“Right here, right now, I put the offer out. I don’t wanna chase you down, but I know you see it.” He grabbed the whiskey bottle, poured out one more, still pressing oh so slightly into Tony’s personal space. Tony tried to cut him off, laughing and protesting what was suddenly a serenade, but Steve kept singing, “you run with me and I can cut you free, out of the treachery and walls you keep in.” It was dramatic, no doubt, Steve was putting as much flair into this as he could. If he could get Tony to actually join, it would be worth all the effort.

Tony cut in though, shoving away the new shot, giving Steve a look of contempt but curiosity. Steve almost laughed in excitement when Tony started to sing as well. And wow, yeah, he had an amazing voice. Could he be more attractive?

“Okay, my friend, you want to cut me in. Well, I hate to tell you, but it just won’t happen. So thanks, but no. I think I’m good to go because I quite enjoy the life you say I’m trapped in.” And then Tony was getting up and Steve couldn’t let him leave, not quite yet, not when it was becoming a full-blown duet and there was actually a chance at succeeding.

“Oh, trade that typical! For something colorful! And if it’s crazy, well, live a little crazy! You could play it sensible, a king of conventional, or you could risk it all and see!”

“See what?” Tony spun around, giving him a look that was intense and curious and there, that’s what Steve needed, this was his in! Before he could lose his nerve, he jumped up onto a table, grinning at the look of shock on Tony’s face. As he continued to sing, his feet moved without a second thought, falling into a routine and trying to ignore the glares he got from the bartender for dancing on the tables.

“Don’t you wanna get away from the same old part you gotta play? Because I got what you need so come with me and take the ride. I can take you to the other side! And you can do like you do, or you can do like me. Stay in the cage, or you can finally take the key, and oh, damn, suddenly you’re free to fly! I can take you to the other side!”

Tony stared for a moment, obviously intrigued, before he shook his head, went back to his scarf and hat, and started his own verse.

“Now I admire you and that whole show you do. You’re onto something, really, it’s something. But I live among the swells, and we don’t pick up peanut shells. Ha! I’ll have to leave that up to you.” It was pure snark and mock disdain, but Steve saw through it, saw the possibilities there, even as Tony was heading for the door. At the last minute though, he spun around, came to face Steve again, and went back to singing.

And wow, Tony was just as dramatic as Steve, maybe more so. Even as he sung about how much he didn’t want to change his life, he swung around columns and even jumped up onto the bar. He was perfect, an amazing performer, exactly what Steve needed.

“Don’t you know that I’m okay with this uptown part I get to play? Because I got what I need and I don’t want to take the ride. I don’t need to see the other side! So go and do like you do, I’m good to do like me. Not in a cage, so I don’t need to take the key. Oh, damn! Can’t you see I’m doing fine? I don’t need to see the other side!”

Steve considered him, saw the layers to what he was saying. There was tension, discontent, behind all of those words, and it was absurdly obvious. What would it take to actually get this man on his side? He was heading for the piano now, where he had dramatically thrown his scarf earlier, and Steve rushed after him. He slid onto the bench, putting himself under Tony right in his personal space, then kept singing.

“Is this really how you like to spend your days? Whiskey and misery, and parties and plays?” He poured out more whiskey, held out the glass as he spoke.

Tony scoffed, but took the drink, shooting it back. “If I were mixed up with you, I’d be the talk of the town. Disgraced and disowned, another one of the clowns!” He was on his way out now, halfway to the door, when Steve made his last attempt.

“But you would finally live a little! Finally laugh a little! Just let me give you the freedom to dream and it’ll wake you up and cure your aching. Take your walls and start ‘em breaking. Now that’s a deal that seems worth taking.” And there, Tony was slowing down, hesitating just at the door, so Steve continued. “But I guess I’ll leave that up to you.”

There was tense silence, Steve staring at Tony’s back, both of them considering. Tony was the one to break it, spinning around and facing Steve again. He kept up the singing and the rhythm perfectly, picking up their impromptu song without a beat missed.

“Well, it’s intriguing, but to go would cost me greatly. So, what percentage of the show would I be taking?” He was walking now, both of them were, advancing like magnets drawn to each other, neither breaking eye contact. Steve tapped the bar, nodded at the bartender for more shots.

“Fair enough, you’d want a piece of all the action. I’d give you seven, we could shake and make it happen?”

“I wasn’t born this morning! Eighteen would be just fine.”

“Ha! Why not just go ahead and ask for nickels on the dime?”

“Fifteen?”

“I’d do eight.”

“Twelve?”

“Maybe nine.”

“Ten!” Tony paused, looked Steve up and down. They were less than a foot away from each other now, both staring intensely. “And I want you.”

Steve hesitated, watching him intently. After a moment, he grinned, then reached for the new shots the bartender had placed out for them. Before he could grab them, the man gave him an imploring look and he sighed, started reaching into his pockets, but there was nothing.

Tony rolled his eyes and pulled out a twenty, threw it on the table, then reached out a hand.

“Well, Mr. Rogers, it looks like you have a new partner.”

“So that’s what the kids are calling it these days?” Steve smirked slightly, gave Tony another once over, then handed over a shot. “Drink on it?”

“Oh hell yes.”


End file.
